A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of children""s toys and dolls and the art of time capsules and storage devices, and more particularly to a doll or children""s toy containing a time capsule. This application claims priority to a U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/149,079, entitled CHILDREN""S TOY WITH SELECTIVELY ACCESSIBLE INTERNAL CAVITY WITH ASSOCIATED STORAGE DEVICE, filed on Aug. 16, 1999.
B. Description of the Related Art
Dolls and children""s toys are well known in the art. Storage devices, such as safe deposit boxes, jewelry boxes, and safes, are also well known. However, until the current invention, it was not known to place a storage device within a cavity in a children""s toy and have the storage device be repeatedly accessed by the user without damaging the toy.
One known type of doll containing a time capsule has a canister sewn into the doll and can only be removed by tearing and damaging the doll.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved collectible item or children""s toy that contains a selectively accessible internal cavity with an associated storage device, which is simple in design, effective in use, and overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.
The following term will have the following definition throughout the patent application:
Time Capsule
a container holding historical records or objects representative of current culture as deposited for preservation until discovery by some future age.
In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved children""s toy includes a selectively accessible internal cavity and a storage device.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the toy also includes a door, preferably made of a soft material and attached to the body of the toy via Velcro(copyright).
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the toy includes a rigid container inside the body of the toy for use as a container or time capsule.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, the opening, cavity, and door can be made of any material or any design chosen using sound engineering judgment.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a porcelain doll includes a front, a back, arms, legs, a head, a body, a cavity, the cavity being located in the back of the doll, the cavity for receiving an associated time capsule, a connecting strip, a first flap, a second flap, and a third flap, the flaps for concealing the cavity, the first flap being selectively attachable to the connecting strip via hook and eye connectors, the second and third flaps having second and third connecting strips, the second and third flaps being selectively attachable to each other.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the collectible item has an associated body and an associated head, the collectible item comprising a time capsule, the time capsule being located substantially within the collectible item.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, the collectible item is chosen from a list comprising dolls, stuffed animals, and toys.
In accordance with another aspect of the current invention, the collectible item has receiving means for receiving the time capsule, the receiving means is an internal cavity and the item further comprises enclosing means for enclosing the time capsule with the cavity.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, the collectible item has the receiving means located substantially within the associated body.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the enclosing means includes a flap and connecting means for connecting the flap to the associated body and the enclosing means is selectively adjustable.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of encapsulating deposited materials for preservation includes the steps of providing a collectible item having a body, a head, and receiving means for receiving the materials, placing the materials within the receiving means, placing the receiving means within the collectible item, the receiving means being located within the body of the collectible item, and enclosing the receiving means within the collectible item.
One advantage of the current invention is that a time capsule can be placed inside the toy.
Another advantage of the current invention is that the time capsule can be removed and replaced repeatedly without damaging the toy.
Still another advantage of the current invention is that the toy functions as both a toy and a time capsule.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.